Butcher Block is committed to caring for the health and well-being of our partners and customers and playing a constructive role in supporting local health officials and government leaders.
This pesto is great in pasta or even spread onto hot crusty bread straight from the oven – and it’s delicious drizzled over salads
Ingredients:
80 g fresh coriander
80 g cashew nuts
2 – 3 cloves of garlic
250 ml parmesan, grated
zest of one lemon
juice of one lemon
125 ml extra virgin olive oil
Method:
Place all the ingredients (except the olive oil) in a blender and blitz. Slowly add the olive oil and continue to blitz until the paste reaches the desired consistency. Add more olive oil to make a runnier consistency, if desired.
Summer is for sipping cocktails by the pool, and who doesn’t love a good mojito? Nothing says ‘luxurious tropics’ quite like the delicious, fresh, minty flavours of this much-loved cocktail. Hailing from Havana, Cuba, this classic drink is a worldwide favourite! Therefore, we have decided to equip you with all the tips and tricks you need to make the most memorable mojitos.
To elevate your mojito and make it extra-refreshing, add a generous dash of soda water to the final glass. The added bubbles will make your mojito light and refreshing. Wanna impress your friends with unbelievably delicious mojitos? Hang around, we’ll show you how!
The minty flavour in a mojito is essential to get just right. Too much, and you have something akin to breath-freshener with an unpleasant bitterness, not enough and your cocktail loses that refreshing element. A tip to really get those minty flavours and aromas to pop is to put the mint in the palm of your hand and give it a slap, this will release flavours gently without becoming too bitter. Favour fresh mint leaves and forget the bottled essence you can buy!
There’s no end to the flavour combinations with a mojito, you can create your perfect mix with any number of different flavours. Try adding cucumber, strawberries or watermelon to put a spin on the old classic.
As with every ingredient, fresh is always best, especially when it comes to the limes you use in your mojito. Put that bottled lime juice away and use the superior, freshly squeezed juice for a real zing in flavour. To get the lime’s juices flowing better, make the squeezing easier, and to get more of the good stuff out of your limes, give them a quick roll on the counter before slicing them and squeezing generously.
Sugar is a key element to any mojito, but no one wants a crunchy, undissolved mess left at the end of their drink. Keep it clean by making a simple sugar syrup by using equal parts water and sugar and stirring over a low heat until dissolved. Ramp up the flavours by adding mint leaves to the water and letting the syrup steep. While sugar is magical, the secret to making the perfect mojito is all in the balance. Follow the simple ratio of one part lime, one part sugar syrup, to two parts rum and you can’t go wrong.
Sit back and relax with a mojito this summer, you can’t go wrong with this classic cocktail. Make sure your mojito is perfect by adding crushed ice. Fresh is always best, so do the crushing of your ice just before serving, and add a pretty sprig of mint for decoration – voila! Perfect.
Whether you prefer to cater for guests from the comfort of your own patio or go all out with a big venue; snacks and wine will always be a necessity! With spring being upon us, it is also the season of entertaining! Christmas, New Year, and a myriad of public holidays and celebrations mean that you will most likely be visiting people, or have visitors over, so it is definitely time to brush up on your catering skills! A cornerstone to good food and wine at an event is to pair the two correctly. Here is the low-down on correctly matching your food and wine, to make both all the better!
The earthy flavours of a good Pinot Noir go perfectly with earthy flavours in food. Mushrooms, truffles and surprisingly, the smokey flavours of braai meat or smoked delicatessen meats go exceptionally well with the natural cherry hues of the wine. Enjoy it with traditional dishes like duck, quail, rabbit and other game meats. Serve this wine with the main meal, or with the starters, depending on your catering plans.
Typically enjoyed as a celebratory drink, champagne is served before the main meal, rather than being used as a meal accompaniment. Therefore, it is important to take some time to pick out the perfect entrees to compliment the sparkling drink. The acidity of champagne makes it great to partner up with a salty snack as if you needed another reason to serve champagne with finger foods. A selection of biltong, nuts, and crackers with cheese will be perfect. Something sturdier, like the crackers, will also give your guests a chance to enjoy the delicious sparkle of the champagne without becoming too tipsy, too quickly.
This rich, full-bodied wine is the perfect accompaniment to red meat, particularly those that are juicy. Definitely a good choice of wine to serve at dinner, and not before. The tannins in this beautiful ruby red offer a refreshing palate cleanser after a bite of meat, think lamb chops, or a rich, flavourful steak. Decanting this wine from the bottle adds an unmistakable touch of class to the meal too.
If you want to dig into a delicious plate of rich, cheesy comfort food, and have your glass of wine too (because why choose, right?) the perfect wine for toasted sandwiches drenched in grease, or a slice of lasagne baked to perfection, is a glass of dry rose. Whether you choose to have dinner at home on the couch, or at a restaurant, the meal just wouldn’t be complete with the perfect glass of vino to wash it down.
Curry and chilli flavours make for a warm, satisfying meal. Adding the wrong wine to the dinner can ruin both the food and the drink, a balance which is especially tricky to achieve because of the uncanny ability of alcohol to further accentuate the hot factors in the flavour. This may sound like a brilliant dare, but it throws the balance of flavours right out of the window. Opt for a low-alcohol wine and enjoy both your meal and your drink.
If the meal you have prepared contains light, white meats like chicken, pair the wine with the sauce instead, as that will be the dominating flavour in the meal. Similarly, “The best way to pair wine with pasta is to ignore the pasta and pay attention to the sauce”. Creamy sauces love Chardonnay, a good example being a carbonara sauce. Mushroom sauces, again as mentioned, with the earthy undertones, go well with a Pinot Noir or a Merlot. Pinot Grigio or Verdicchio go well with a slightly more acidic dressing, like a tomato-based sauce, like Napolitana. This may exclude sauces like Arrabiata which is a chilli, tomato, olive oil and garlic sauce. Opt for a wine that will balance the acidity of the tomato, a dry white usually works very well.
Bitter foods, like olives, and cocoa work wonderfully with the right wine. Balance the bitterness of the food with a sweet wine. When you are choosing a wine to serve with dessert, use an entirely different approach. Rather than matching the sweetness of dessert with an equally sweet wine, or a contrasting dry wine (logic figures you need to balance the tastes, right?) the best way to choose your wine for dessert is to keep your wine slightly drier than your dessert is sweet. If you are serving a very sweet dessert, like ice-cream, a Chardonnay will work well. If you are serving chocolate mousse, your dessert will have undertones that are earthy, but bitter, so choose a dry, earthy wine.
Displaying your knowledge of wine-pairing doesn’t need to be limited to parties and hosting events at all. Pack a picnic to share with a loved one and find a quiet place outdoors you can both enjoy. Pour the perfect glass of vino to compliment the thoughtful snacks and treats you packed, and watch how incredibly well everything goes down. Remember, there are many reasons to enjoy a glass of wine, other than showcasing your classy new skills! See our blog: Wine for whines for more details! The next time you are at a restaurant, you can order the correct wine for your meal, and amaze everyone with your knowledge of food and finery!
Summer is creeping closer with each warmer, brighter morning. Living in South Africa means that summer generally involves a lot of beach time, lazy days at the pool, and outdoor activities. So, how are those shorts sitting on you now? A little tight after the winter hibernation and all-season long snack-down? Don’t worry if you feel like you need to shed a few centimetres, at Butcher Block we have taken the time to make sure there is something on our menu for everyone, even the foodies who need to watch that waistline. Let’s introduce you to the summer body ‘approved’ meal options on our menu.
Salmon is a lean protein high in selenium and Omega-3 fatty acids. Butcher Block offers fresh Norwegian salmon, plane or seared with seven spice, toasted sesame seeds, ponzu, sesame oil, pickled ginger & soy as a healthy start to your meal. Get your appetite warmed up the right way!
Indulge in a tropical delight! Sweet tooth? Fill up on a healthy prawn and papaya salad! Curb your need for sweet treats with this meal, it is filled with the natural vitamins and minerals that occur in fruit, combined with lean protein, keeping you nourished, and fuller for longer. Expect to enjoy plump prawns, sweet papaya, red onions, and crisp salad greens dressed with a fresh lime & ginger dressing. Give me some summer!
What could possibly support a hot, summer body better than a beach salad? The mixture of lively green leaves rich in phytonutrients combined with the lean protein of seafood gives you a salad like no other. Delicious grilled calamari, chicken strips, prawns, red onions & cucumber tossed in a sweet Thai chilli jam served on a bed of crispy spinach dressed with fresh lime wedges & coriander. This salad will satisfy your appetite and respect your waistline. Bring me that beach!
If you love a good steak, incorporate it into your healthy lifestyle. Sirloin cuts are great for individuals on a diet. Request it without basting and opt for a side salad or a baked potato instead of chips. Let your waiter know that you want diet-friendly options, we will be most accommodating! Satiate your hunger and watch the kilos melt away!
For flatter tummies try a chicken flattie at Butcher Block. It’s char-grilled & basted with either lemon & herb, peri-peri or chimichurri sauce. Order it with lemon and herb for a lean, high protein meal. Add veg or salad on the side and keep your figure looking trim. Fill up on something delicious that nourishes each cell in our body. Bring me that bikini, I’ll have it with some summer rays!
With love, from the ocean: Our Patagonian calamari tubes are lightly grilled in cajun spice, a tasty option if you want guilt-free indulgence. Add a side salad, a baked potato or veg and let the gifts of the ocean bust your hunger without adding to your waistline. Want to wine and dine out on a diet? Tuck into this fine fare.
We’re not saying you should eat apple tart and expect to shed the kilos, but we are saying that apple tart is the better dessert to have if you want to finish your meal on a sweet note with minimal repercussions. Apples are high in fibre and fairly low in sugar, and our apple tart contains poached apples baked in a sponge cake batter served hot or cold with fresh cream or vanilla ice-cream. Request yours without the cream or ice cream to keep the collateral minimal. Light, delicious and fruity!
Getting your body into the swing of things for summer doesn’t need to be difficult or restrictive. Simply swapping deep-fried or battered foods for grilled or baked options can make a monumental difference to your waistline, without any sacrifice from you. Swap chips for salad or veg, and if you are carb conscious, ask for sweet potato mash instead of regular mash.
Remember that good health is more important than ‘skinny’, and a good, healthy, happy skinny is best achieved over a longer period. Instant weight loss is usually temporary, whereas long term sustained weight loss is permanent. Lose weight slowly by making better food choices, the type of choices you can implement into your lifestyle permanently. At Butcher Block, we support healthier choices and will do our best to accommodate your food preferences! Pop in for a steak or a snack, visit our website and view our menu here: http://www.butcherblock.co.za/butcher-block-national-food-menu/
South Africa has a wide variety of dishes that are brimming with flavour to tantalise taste buds, and that is why we at Butcher Block are so proud to be part of this diverse nation! South African folks finding themselves somewhere abroad most commonly comment on how much they miss South African food. Our meat is more flavourful, our fruit is fresher (let’s be honest, many overseas countries have their fresh produce imported from – South Africa – believe me, we get it fresher!) and…anyone for biltong?
We are celebrating Heritage Day this month, and Butcher Block is featuring some proudly South African and truly Mmmmmmzansi meals on our menu.
This delicious slow-cooked dish traditionally contains meat, vegetables, and starches like rice or potatoes, slow cooked and flavoured with the distinctive flavouring of South Africa’s early culinary melting pot: Dutch Malay spices. Tuck into a plate of our perfect potjie at Butcher Block. Ask one of our friendly waitrons what flavour is potting today.
Love a home cooked meal? Nothing is ever as good as the food your mom makes (except the food your wife makes!) and if you feel like that authentic South African taste that warms your belly, order our grilled Boerewors. It’s served on a skewer, with African pap and chakalaka sauce. This proudly local dish tastes like home. Pop into any of our Butcher Block branches to enjoy this lekker dish
Is there a South African out there whose mouth doesn’t water even slightly hearing the word biltong? A national favourite and a tradition that is sure to continue, no Deritage Day would be complete with incorporating biltong one way or another. At Butcher Block, we give it to you in a pate with mushrooms and bacon, because flavour is lekker. Enjoy it with Melba toast, and raise a glass to Mzansi!
The proudest South African cut has to be a springbok fillet. Celebrate Heritage Day with this incredible meal: A venison fillet prepared perfectly to the South African palate, served with mushroom sherry demi glaze. Best game ever finished en klaar! Enjoy it with a pinot noir from your favourite winery.
A burger with a South African twist that is simply ncaaaa! Sink your teeth into a full, round hearty burger with emmenthal cheese, jalapeno & biltong sauce & sliced jalapenos. Butcher Block takes a well-loved classic (the burger), enjoyed by many nations, with the truly South African biltong twist. Also, this jalapeno burger has a bite to it!
A delight for the sweet tooth! Always the long wait to get to dessert. At Butcher Block, there’s no need to finish your veggies first, you can jump straight in with these koeksisters, they’re even better than your Ouma’s. Picture a delicious syrup infused dough, fried to perfection and served with a creamy vanilla ice-cream. The cold ice-cream balances the rich sweetness perfectly to give you a treat that is so lekker, you might just write home about it.
Leading you further astray into the temptations of sweetness, we bring you malva pudding. What is more traditional than your aunties malva pudding at Christmas time? In South Africa, it’s a household-given! Drenched in sweet, syrupy goo, our malva pudding is prepared Cape Malay style and served with your choice of fresh cream or ice-cream.
We invite you to step out in style this Heritage Day and celebrate it with the family. Try something new, or dig into an old favourite. Our diverse culture has so many hidden gems in their culinary ammo, you could try something new year on Heritage Day and never run out of new ground to cover! Wine and dine South Africa style at Butcher Block, we promise to satisfy even the most ravenous appetite!
Everyone craves dessert now and again – especially when we are overcome with emotions. At Butcher Block, we believe that dessert should be taken seriously. Not just any random dessert will do when you’re in a certain mood. To satisfy your sweet tooth, it’s important that you choose the right one to fit your how you’re feeling! So here is a little dessert-for-your-mood guide. And the best part? They can all be found in one place (at Butcher Block, of course)!
If you’re currently in the happiest of moods, that’s so great! It’s time to treat yourself with a light dessert that looks exactly how you feel – filled with joy! Whether it’s a classic cheese cake or one covered with delicious toppings, this slice of happiness is satisfying to the sweet tooth yet light, and perfect for that treat-yourself kind of day.
Celebrate the good things in life with a dessert of luxury! After you’ve toasted your fancy champagne, end off your day with a spiked treat that will keep your mood as happy as can be. Kahlua and ice cream crêpes are the perfect little treat to accompany just about any celebration or festive occasion.
Don’t worry; it’s going to be okay. Ice cream is the dessert that comes to the rescue – every single time! Smooth and creamy ice cream – especially when it’s topped off with decadent bar one chocolate sauce – is guaranteed to make you feel better when you eat it. It’s the treat with a soothing effect that will help to dry all the tears and may even have you smiling in no time.
When you’re overcome with stress, it’s the time when you not only want dessert, but you also NEED it! A sweet treat’s greatest job is to give you a moment of happiness in a time that feels a little bit hopeless. Drop everything and go and order a triple chocolate brownie from the Butcher Block menu right now. The important thing to remember here is the bigger the better, and the richer the better.
We all get angry, even those avid yoga-goers. No one can be calm all the time. If you are boiling with anger and frustration, you should eat something sweet that is going to balance out all of that emotion. Deep fried Oreos have the perfect light airiness of the dough paired with the sugary sweetness of the delicious warm cookies. This is one tasty treat sure to satisfy your hankering for something scrumptious and calm you down at the same time.
Whatever your emotion – whether you are happy, sad, angry, or stressed – there is a dessert out there just for you. Dessert is a crucial food group for personal mental health, after all! So when it comes to dessert, don’t deny your feelings. Embrace them.
If reading about these desserts is making you a little bit hungry, take a look at our lovely mouth watering menu, here: http://www.butcherblock.co.za/butcher-block-national-food-menu/
Trying to avoid colds and flu this winter? From oats to sweet potatoes, try munching on these foods to fight flu and keep the sniffles at bay!
Before you reach for the latest over-the-counter remedy in your medicine cabinet, head to your kitchen instead. You can encourage a healthy immune system with items found right in your cupboards. The most authentic – and probably the healthiest – way to fight a cold or flu is to eat foods that will help you build the healthy cells you need to feel better and brighter! The bonus? These foods are delicious and are the perfect comfort foods during a chilly night in.
So let’s see what superfoods will soothe your stuffy head, aches and pains:
Oats are fully packed with beta glucans – a kind of fibre that can speed healing and build up your immune system to be strong (strong like an ox). Adding bananas into the mix adds potassium, which is a mineral that is often depleted with dreaded fever and vomiting. Butcher Block’s morning kick starter – our oats and caramelised banana – will give you the extra immune boost you need when you find yourself fighting the flu.
On our breakfast menu, you will find a variety of refreshing pressed juices will all types of healthy ingredients!
This is a great alternative sip ’em snack if you don’t feel up to eating your fruits and veggies. Fresh juices pack in plenty of nutrients and antioxidants to help strengthen your immune system. Antioxidants are the substances responsible for helping fend off flu-related pneumonia, so they are so good for you!
Protein packed, eggs are also rich in zinc, an immune system booster that can zap cold symptoms right when they start. Topped off with mushrooms, the immune powerhouses, your meal will increase the effectiveness of white blood cells! From button to shiitake, mushrooms are tasty but also oh so good for you.
Try one of our omelettes made from free range eggs and mature cheddar cheese and sauteed mouthwatering mushrooms for extra deliciousness and a healthy start to your morning!
You can’t drink enough tea when you’re sick! Both green and black tea are rich in antioxidants, including the immune-boosting antioxidant L-theanine. Hot drinks can ease sneezing, sore throats, chills, and tiredness. Butcher Block serves a good cuppa to soothe your cold and flu symptoms!
While not considered one of the traditional foods to fight flu, sweet potatoes are crammed with vitamin A – enough to get your immune back to perfect health after a few sweet potato snacks! The nutrients in these good carbs help the body produce virus-fighting white blood cells and helps keep mucous membranes healthy. That includes the inside of your nose, your gastrointestinal tract, as well as your skin. Keeping these mucous membranes healthy is key to pushing those infections the side. Our sweet potato mash side dish is the perfect meal addition to load you up on good old vitamin A, while simultaneously satisfying your winter comfort food cravings! http://www.butcherblock.co.za/butcher-block-national-food-menu/
Garlic is incredibly good for you and your health – which is a bonus because it’s delicious! It’s not the smell of garlic that scares away the bacteria that make you feel sick. Garlic promotes healthy gut flora, ridding the body of toxins, and all those yucky things that make us feel under the weather. While you could pop a pill, it’s best to eat the actual thing. The active components are more bioavailable when you eat real garlic! Try munching on a deliciously cheesy garlic bread next time you feel the sniffles coming on.
If you want to boost your immune system with foods to fight flu, eat some beef. Beef is another good source of zinc! A zinc deficiency decreases a person’s immune function and response. Plus, the extra protein you get from chowing down on tasty beef supports the body in building antibodies and fighting off infection. As a premium steakhouse in South Africa, you will find the most succulent and decadent steaks to boost your system and keep your taste buds happy at the same time. Add it to your dinner menu this week!
According to Ayurveda, a traditional Indian medicine practice, spices promote sweating and are often used to help break a fever. You may also be able to unclog your stuffy nose by generously spicing up some dishes. Each of these condiments can shrink the blood vessels in your nose and throat to temporarily relieve congestion. Aim for as much of the spicy hot stuff as you can comfortably stand. Our peri-peri chicken flattie is the perfect dinner to open up those airways and have you feeling free of congestion.
Find all of these delicious and NUTRITIOUS foods to fight flu on our Butcher Block breakfast menu, as well as our lunch and dinner menu! Pop in for a feel-good meal.
If you’re sitting down for dinner chances are you’re taking a photo of it and posting it up on Instagram. Food boasting has become a huge thing in South Africa and around the globe. With every meal becoming an opportunity to take some great shots, it’s a pretty big deal to know how to take food pictures for Instagram.
Search #food on Instagram, and you will see millions of perfect (and not-so-perfect) square-cropped images of breakfast, lunch and dinner, not to mention all those snacks in between. Here are a few of our top tips to get the perfect image that will have your Instagram followers drooling.
Just because you’re taking a photo using your phone doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be thinking about your photograph. Set up your picture. Think about how it will look within the frame. Play around with the placement of your delicious eats and your dinnerware. It doesn’t have to be fancy. A bite out of a slice of cake can look almost, if not more, delicious than a full slice. Check out our delicious cakes and desserts, here.
Indoor lighting can be harsh and can often make your shots look a bit flat. Take your food outside to find the best natural lighting and most complementary photography styles. This lighting is best for highlighting the pattern in your creamy cappuccino. We’ve just launched a breakfast menu in our Florida Road branch! Why not have a look at our menu?
Artists, designers and photographers use the rule of thirds when composing their visuals. Tap into your artistic eye with this golden ratio and train your mind on how to take food pictures for Instagram. Imagine your image divided into nine equal parts, by two equally spaced horizontal lines and two equally spaced vertical lines. The important elements of your picture should be placed along these lines or their intersections for a fresh energy and immediacy.
Short of depth is what we need to make a really good food photo look even more appealing! Use the blur tool to keep the background out of focus, drawing the eyes of your hungry Instagram friends to the food, which will be sharp and focused! The details of your burger will pop – you’ll even be able to see the tasty tiny seeds that sit on top of your fresh burger bun.
Keep those likes coming in with neatly arranged pictures and a sense of symmetry. If you are shooting fruit, for example, have more than one fruit of one colour, arranging them in colour-co-ordinated rows for a pop in your pictures. Sometimes food and neatness really just works!
Get up close and personal to your food subject. The photograph you are taking should brim with food. This type of shot is another type of angle you can work your Instagram food shots from, making sure that your feed is filled with interesting images that keep your friends hungry.
Take an overhead shot of your food, or duck down to meet your plate at about a 45-degree angle from the table. Shooting from directly above is a really flattering perspective for most food, while food with height, like stacked burgers or creamy milkshakes, shoot from a side angle.
While a busy image can sometimes please the eye, a simple and minimalistic background works a whole lot better, especially when shooting around such a small and tight-knit frame. Use a few serviettes to add texture and depth to an image, or play around with the placing of cutlery making your picture seem as natural as possible.
With the perfect composition and lighting and especially a delicious dish, you are sure to get the hang of how to take food pictures for Instagram. Your insta-worthy posts are ready to be shown off to the world! Try these tasty tips on your next visit to Butcher Block – we promise we don’t mind the flash. Find your nearest restaurant, here.
